Charles Lee

Charles "Charlie" Lee July 9, 1944 - June 5, 2018. A celebration of the life of Charlie Lee will be held at his home on Saturday, June 9 at 2 pm. Please join us and contact Shandy Kawabata at shandyj73@gmail.com for the address. Charlie peacefully left “earth school” on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. While his death was unexpected, and we are heartbroken, he wouldnt want any of us to feel sad. Our dad would always say that when he passed he didnt want a funeral but instead wanted a celebration of his life with some wine (with ice, of course) and some version of peanut butter something, while sharing funny stories about his life with each other. Charlie worked in aviation for over fifty years. Originally from Alabama, Charlie moved to Wichita in 1967, where he started working for Beech Aircraft Corp. He retired from Raytheon (formerly Beech) in 2006. He started his own aviation consulting company in 2006 and was widely recognized and sought after as a leader in the industry. His work took him all over the U.S. and Europe. He was a mentor to many. Charlie raised hell for decades and kept us all laughing with his sense of humor and surprising style. He liked to keep us guessing as to what he might wear. To say he was unique and super cool would be an understatement. Charlie marched to the beat of his own drum. He took fashion cues from nobody. His signature look was all his own: sweatpants in some primary color with denim pockets sewn on; an Alabama ball cap; and a sweatshirt emblazoned with Alabama or an old t-shirt from the Goodwill. He carried his billfold and keys in an Ace Hardware apron (no kidding). Had he lived in Hollywood or NYC, he would have been the founder of grunge. Charlie exerted a strong influence on both his human family and his furry family. He made it his lifes mission to ensure his family was provided for. He will be joining his sister, Pat, whom he loved dearly and his brother, Bubba. He leaves behind his son, Cody Lee, and his husband, Seth Stevens, of New York City; his daughter, Shandy Kawabata, of Wichita; his grandson, Xander Kawabata, and granddaughter, Anera Kawabata; his nieces and nephews; his ex-wife and friend, Janice Lee; and Dee Cure and her son Nate, whom he never got to know. Please join us on Saturday, June 9th to celebrate Charlies life. Dad, your soul will rest in our hearts for eternity. And our memories of you will forever be a blessing to shepherd us through the hard times. We love you. In lieu of flowers, our dad would love for you to send a donation in his name to Beauties and Beasts, a rescue group in Wichita www.beautiesandbeasts.org (Kasey: 816-442-1746). He loved his furry kids. Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.